W: Two Worlds

Presentation

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Analysis

Synopsis

​Oh Yeon Joo is a surgeon and her father is a manhwa writer. One day, he mysteriously goes missing. While looking for him, Yeon Joo meets Kang Chul, who has a particularity: he is a character from her father’s manhwa. Together, they try to find Yeon Joo’s father, discover the reason behind his disappearance, while falling in love. 

​My Opinion (No Spoilers)

Certainly one of the best dramas of 2016! W: The Two Worlds managed to get me immersed in these two parallel universes, adding touches of suspense, mystery and romance! All the ingredients were gathered to turn W: The Two Worlds into a hit: first, the cast with Han Hyo Joo (Shining Inheritance, The Beauty Inside [movie]) and Lee Jong Suk (I Can Hear Your Voice, Pinocchio, While You Were Sleeping); second the screenwriter Song Jae Jung (if you don’t know that screenwriter, I suggest you go see my top on the 20 best Korean Screenwriters) and third, director Jung Dae Yoon (I’m Not a Robot, She Was Pretty, The King 2 Hearts). 

Now because of the originality and complexity of the plot, the drama also has some downsides. The flashback and moving forward sometimes seemed confusing, some decisions were not entirely understandable (especially the father’s). Moreover, just like for every drama with AI or robots, let’s say that manhwa’s characters are not the best partners (they are not real!); which made me wonder about Yeon Joo and Kang Chul’s future in general. 

Despite those little glitches, W: The Worlds is intriguing and powerful drama, led by an incredible team; that I definitely would recommend!

​Analysis (Spoiler Alert)

For this analysis, I will try to say as little as possible in terms of spoilers, because W: The Two Worlds is really the kind of drama that will make you sit on your couch and never move from it until the end. There is a lot of suspense and twists and turns that I believe should be seen on screen and not read somewhere!

The parallel world: Like the title indicates (as well as the poster of the drama); W: The Worlds revolves around the existence of a parallel world: that of a manhwa. The creator of that world is Oh Yeon Joo’s (Han Hyo Joo) father, who he has mysteriously gone missing. In the real world, Yeon Joo is a surgeon, working a lot and not necessarily caring about her father’s work. Yet, when she finds out he has disappeared without leaving a trace, she immediately starts looking for him. Because she is a woman of science, believing that a parallel universe might exist seems difficult for her. It is only when she actually is confronted with it and is transported inside the manhwa, that she gets to understand what the situation is. 

The parallel universe has a main actor: Kang Chul (Lee Jong Suk). He is a rich man, who used to be an athlete; leading a good life but with a troubled past (his family was murdered and he was sent to prison as the prime suspect). 10 years later, he has become this sort of prince charming figure, rich, famous and handsome. 

When he meets Yeon Joo, their own realities clash, as he discovers that he is only the creation of a man and not an actual human being. His entire world could’ve collapsed at that time, yet, Kang Chul decides to rebel against its creator and lead the life he intends to, trying to change the directive storyline. At the same time, a murderer is trying to kill him, so he does his best to protect himself and Yeon Joo, who changed universes. 

In overall, I liked almost all characters; only Oh Yeon Joo’s father was really annoying me and I just couldn’t stand on the one hand is indecisiveness and on the other his determination dedicated to the wrong actions!

I have to admit that the special effects were so well done and breathtaking. Moreover, Kang Chul never gives up and I loved seeing how he also manages to get himself or Yeon Joo out of trouble, no matter how bad their situation is. 

The identity of the murderer: I won’t reveal the identity here, because it is a red thread that evolves throughout the drama. Numerous times, you will find yourselves wondering who that might be, especially considering the fact that his face is not visible (cc the scene on the rooftop). Yet, the murderer plays a central role in the drama, as it is the reason why the entire manhwa world starts going rogue. Indeed, what started as a manhwa has come to life, hurting people from the actual reality. Moreover, the presence of that dangerous individual is one of the reasons why Yeon Joo and Kang Chul have to connect and help each other at some point. Wait for the great finale to discover what that is all about!

Romance and suspense: The two main ambiances that are transmitted in the drama obviously involve both our characters. The romance between them blooms progressively, but becomes strong and passionate by the end (cc the kiss in prison), to the point that Yeon Joo does her best to save Kang Chul. Together, they form such a sweet and funny duo (cc when Yeon Joo sleeps at Kang Chul’s), and the actors’ have killing chemistry.

​On the other side, the suspense and the murderer give a tenser and more dramatic aspect to the drama. Each episode made me gasp for air, not knowing what was going to happen next. At the end of each episode, I even asked myself how the writer could possibly continue the story, because I couldn’t see how it would unfold. Not being able to predict the next step is a very refreshing feeling, when you are used to watching a lot of dramas like I am; this made me love the drama even more. 

P.S.: If you have liked the manhwa world with W: The Two Worlds and want to keep watching this kind of content, I suggest you go check out Extra-Ordinary You!